Animal boot with adhesive tape securing means



Sept. 15, 1953 F. P. LEWIS ANIMAL BOOT WITH ADHESIVE TAPE SECURING MEANS Filed Nov. 29, 1951 INVENTOR Frea PL en/ffi' BY M ATTORNE Patented Sept. 15, 1953 UNITED STATES i ATENT OFFICE ANIMAL BOOT WITH ADHESIVE TAPE SECURING MEANS 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to an improved animal boot or shoe. l-leretofore, in protective devices for animals such as dog boots, diniculty has been encountered in providing means for firmly but detachably securing the boot to the leg of the dog, with the result that the boot frequently slips down on the leg or is attached in an uncomfortable manner so as to irritate the dog.

Accordingly, an important object of the present invention is to provide a simple, efiicient, and economical dog boot made of suitable durable and waterproof flexible material and which includes a tubular leg portion having a vertical slot so as to provide spaced adjustable opposed sides arranged. to conform to the shape of the leg of the animal to which the boot is applied. Additionally, the flap or tongue which is preferably formed of the same material as the boot, is connected to the bottom of the slot and is of greater width than the slot so as to overlap and engage the opposed inner sides of the boot. Thus the leg portion is provided with flexible adjustable means that will firmly engage and comfortably the legs of dogs of dilferent sizes and shapes.

Other objects and advantage of the invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying claims and drawings.

Referring to the drawings in which are shown several preferred embodiments of the invention:

Figure l is a perspective View of a flexible animal boot constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Eigure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken substantially along the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal detailed sectional view of a modified form of the invention.

Figure 5 is a detailed bottom plan view of a modified form of sole that may be associated with the animal boot; and

Figure 6 is a detailed rear end view of an animal leg showing the boot applied and means for securing the boot to the leg of the animal.

Referring to the drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts in the several figures, ID designates a soft and pliable boot or shoe formed of any suitable flexible and durable material such as moulded rubber or the like so as to provide a foot portion H and an integral leg portion 12 which extends upwardly from the rear or heel l3 (Fig. 3) of the foot portion. The leg portion I2 is of tubular shape so as to conform to the shape of the leg M of an animal, such as a hunting dog, to which the boot is to be applied.

The foot portion H of the boot is formed with a reinforced flat sole [5 which is preferably thicker than the leg portion 52 so as to withstand the wear and tear to which a device of this character is normally subjected. The foot portion I! above the sole may be provided with spaced air ventilating openings It for maintaining the interior of the boot and the foot of the animal dry.

The tubular leg portion I2 is of such a length as to extend upwardly a sufficient distance to firmly engage the leg of the animal. In order that the boot may be applied to animals having legs of diiferent sizes and shapes, the tubular leg portion I2 is preferably formed with a wide vertically disposed elongated slot I? (Fig. 1) formed in the rear of the tubular member i2 and extending from the points such as l8 (Fig. 3)

above the foot portion IE to the outer or upper end of the tubular portion I2 so as to form the spaced vertical side edges l9 and 2B in the opposed walls of the slot ll. A flexible flap or tongue 2i preferably formed of the same material as the boot I0, is suitably connected to the tubular leg portion l2 at the bottom 22 of the slot ll (Fig. 6). As shown, the boot it is made of rubber and the flap 2! being of the same material may be vulcanized thereto and is of such width and length as to form the unattached or free portion 23 which overlaps the opposed vertical sides I9 and 2H and completely closes the slot I! so as to provide adjustable means that insures the leg portion being arranged to properly and firmly fit the legs of animals of different izes and shapes.

Assuming that the boot is applied to the foot I4 of a dog (Fig. 6), when the tubular leg portion is initially applied the curved flap 2i and the overlapped flexible sides 59 and 253 will loosely engage the leg of the animal. A strip of suitable adhesive tape 24 is then circumferentially applied to the upper edge of the tubular portion I2 of the boot so as to cause the sides l9 and 20 and the flap 2| to be moved into snug or tight fitting engagement with the leg M of the dog. Thus the circumferentially disposed tape 24 provides means for preventing pebbles and other foreign matter from entering the boot between the leg of the animal and the leg portion of the boot. In order to prevent the boot from slipping down on the leg M a second or auxiliary strip of ad hesive tape 25 is connected to the rear of the leg portion 12 so as to overlap the circumferentially disposed tape 24 and is provided with an upwardly extending portion 26 (Fig. 6) that adhesively engages and is secured to the leg I4 of the dog. Thus, it will be seen that economical and eflicient means are provided for insuring the boot to be firmly yet detachably connected to the leg of the dog in such a manner that the boot will not slip down or come off of the dogs foot.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figure 4 the flexible boot or shoe is substantially similar to the form previously described, however, the sole [5 is shown in this form of the invention being provided with spaced spikesfl that may be imbedded in the sole as at 28 and that have ground engaging pointed end portions 29 extending downwardly and outwardly therefrom.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figure 5 the sole ii of the boot I0 is shown provided with substantially V-shaped depending moulded rubber ribs 30 so as to prevent slipping and increase the traction surface of the boot.

Manifestly, the size and shape of the boot l0 may be varied in accordance with the particular purpose and use to which it is applied, and the boot may be formed of either light or heavy duty material so that when attached to "the legs of a hunting dog the danger of the dogs foot bein injured by sandburrs, or the like, is eliminated. Additionally, the reinforced sole of the boot may be provided with spikes or rubber ribs so as to prevent the dog from slipping on ice or other smooth surfaces. The adhesive tape means insures the boot being firmly and comfortably attached to the leg of the animal without danger of being loose or falling 01f.

It will be understood that the forms of the invention shown and described are merely illustrative of preforming embodiments and that such changes may be made as come within the scope of the following claim.

I claim:

An animal boot of flexible durable rubberized material including a foot portion and a tubular leg portion, said foot portion having a sole, said leg portion projecting upwardly from the foot portion, said leg portion at its rear having a wide elongated vertical slot extending to its upper end to provide spaced adjustable opposed sides arranged to conform to the shape of the leg of an animal, a flexible flap vulcanized to the leg portion at the bottom of the said slot and having a free unattached portion of greater width than the slot so as to completely close the slot and overlap the opposed sides thereof, and means for connecting the boot to the animal including a strip of circumferentially disposed adhesive tape adapted to hold the sides of the slotted leg portions and the flap in close engagement with the leg of the animal, and a vertically disposed adhesive strip connected to the leg portion of the boot and having an extension for attachment to the leg of the animal.

FRED PETER LEWIS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 645,467 Fowler Mar. 13, 1900 1,172,770 Deutsch Feb. 22, 1916 1,259,689 Waterman Mar. 19, 1918 2,313,577 Plant Mar. 9, 1943 2,424,172 Huddleston July 15, 1947 2,446,371 Jones Aug. 3, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 722,098 France Dec. 28, 1931 

